Lakewood Observer: Concerned Residents Of Preserve Lakewood Schools Share Recommendations To School Board And School District Officials

by Dan Kirk

Six concerned residents from Preserve Lakewood Schools met with school district officials on March 11, to share their recommendations for how the school district should move forward with its elementary school plan to provide long-term excellence and stability for Lakewood’s schools.

Over the last three months, Preserve Lakewood Schools has engaged with thousands of Lakewood families, residents and business owners, gathering feedback about how residents feel the school district should move forward with providing elementary school services.

Lakewood’s school board is currently considering whether or not to repurpose one or even two of Lakewood’s neighborhood elementary schools (Grant, Lincoln, and Roosevelt are being considered), and may vote on the issue as soon as late May 2025.

In the meeting, Preserve Lakewood Schools met with School Board President Nora Katzenberger and School Board Member Lisa Dopman, as well as school superintendent Maggie Niedzwiecki and treasurer Kent Zeman.

Preserve Lakewood Schools’ Recommendations to the School Board:

1. Prioritize safety and walkability.

2. Conduct a traffic and safety study.

3. Provide a safety analysis to accompany each of the seven scenarios under consideration.

4. Make Elementary Planning Task Force meetings open to the public.

5. Make a resolution that provides clear parameters on considering closures only under dire circumstances, with benchmarks outlined.

6. Vote for a scenario that:

   1. Keeps all seven of Lakewood’s current elementary schools

   2. Redraws the boundary lines for elementary schools to keep all schools at 60% enrollment or higher

   3. Limits the number of crossings of main roads and railroad tracks

   4. Keeps as many students as possible within one mile of walking distance of their home school, and when a student is further than one mile, the family should have the option to choose a closer school, or one with a safer commute.

   5. Gives students who have their home school changed the option to remain at their current school through 5th grade.

Finally, Preserve Lakewood Schools encouraged the school district to celebrate and promote itself as one of America’s most walkable school districts, as a long-term effort to increase enrollment and improve school utilization.

One of Preserve Lakewood Schools’ goals was to ask the school district for feedback on any incorrect information that it has shared, and as an act of good faith, Preserve Lakewood Schools has updated its website, Facebook page, and petition to use language that it believes almost everyone can support.

Preserve Lakewood Schools asked the school district officials to clarify how the Task Force will arrive at its recommendation, whether it will be through a vote, or some other process. Ms. Niedzwiecki, Ms. Katzinger, and Ms. Dopman stated that there is no vote or formal recommendation process, but that a scenario would emerge as the best choice. Preserve Lakewood Schools has asked the school district to provide to the community a clear explanation of the process through which the Task Force will make their recommendation.

The meeting lasted for about one hour and fifteen minutes and ended with all agreeing on many shared goals, including our commitment to working toward the long-term excellence of public education in Lakewood, and our commitment to the community.

Preserve Lakewood Schools remains open to have discussions with city and school district officials, as well as members of the Elementary Planning Task Force, to learn more and determine ways in which we can collaborate for the betterment of our schools and our community.

Preserve Lakewood Schools is a coalition of parents, residents, and business owners in Lakewood, Ohio, committed to preventing the closure/repurposing of neighborhood elementary schools by Lakewood City Schools.

Dan Kirk is a concerned parent and member of Preserve Lakewood Schools.